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Varuna
Charter boat captain Malik Bashir's family is forced to flee when he is conscripted into the service of a notorious drug lord. He is determined his next mission will be his last. A chartered diving expedition on Malik's boat goes bad when a member of the team is seriously injured during a dive. He must choose between helping the diver and risking his own life or following orders. When they are forced to seek refuge on an isolated island they discover something more terrifying than the murderous drug lord is hunting them.
201 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 7, 2020
Just finished Varuna. Very entertaining ! I could not put it down towards the end.
Phil did a good job weaving an interesting plot involving diving, international crime with illegal fishing and drug smuggling. The characters were very entertaining as were some of the creepy wildlife.
Phil did a good job weaving an interesting plot involving diving, international crime with illegal fishing and drug smuggling. The characters were very entertaining as were some of the creepy wildlife.
May 15, 2023
Ehhh this book just wasn’t for me. I loved the cover, and it was pretty thrilling at times, but it was a book I personally kept putting down and forcing myself to pick back up.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and The Wild Rose Press for a copy.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and The Wild Rose Press for a copy.
November 26, 2019
The tension in this debut thriller starts on page one and doesn't end even with the ending, so I'm glad there will be another book, hopefully soon. The descriptions of the dives are amazing. Phillip Vincent knows his diving. And I learned more about Komodo dragons than I really wanted to. They are not friendly playmates and I'm very glad they are not flying dragons. I never want to look out and see one land in my front yard.
The story is full of illegal trawling in pristine and endangered reefs, drug smuggling, blackmail, and hard choices made under extreme pressure.
I loved it! Take it on your next plane ride. You'll be so engrossed you'll swear you got to your destination before you left.
The story is full of illegal trawling in pristine and endangered reefs, drug smuggling, blackmail, and hard choices made under extreme pressure.
I loved it! Take it on your next plane ride. You'll be so engrossed you'll swear you got to your destination before you left.
January 20, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Within the first couple of pages, it becomes a real page turner. Throughout the book, the plot takes unexpected turns making the ending hard to foresee. I liked the author’s character development, all very believable and unique characters without any reliance on stereotypes. I also enjoyed his writing style. There were several points in the book that I re-read passages because I liked the way the writer phrased a particular description. The geographic references, scene descriptions and nautical terminology give you the sense of experiencing the story as it unfolds. This book would make a great movie.
March 19, 2020
Varuna, Phil Vincent’s first book was a real page turner. He managed character development and choosing his settings expertly. Varuna, the boat, is the love of Malik, the captain, who salvaged her from the reefs. A group of divers/researchers charter the boat to investigate illegal fish netting. For the research team it was was supposed to be a fact finding research project that rammed head-on with an international smuggling operation. Throughout the story the action never wanes and with each chapter their fate becomes more and more uncertain. Kudos to Vincent for an excellent first novel.
January 20, 2020
Varuna was exciting and full of adventure from start to finish. Phillip Vincent delivered a fun thriller that made me think about all kinds of new things, like how to deal with scary drug lords and how beautiful and yet violent nature can be sometimes. His descriptions of the dives and the amazing underwater world they experience made me want to find the nearest dive shop and sign up! Loved the book and highly recommend it as a super fun read!
January 28, 2024
Just finished this wonderful book. Great, great, great! What a thrilling and vivid story.
It was very gripping throughout the book and played like a movie in my mind.
The level of detail provided on boating, diving, and even the fighting/jiu jitsu indicate a level of personal experience (or at least some very thoughtful research) on the part of the author.
I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one!
It was very gripping throughout the book and played like a movie in my mind.
The level of detail provided on boating, diving, and even the fighting/jiu jitsu indicate a level of personal experience (or at least some very thoughtful research) on the part of the author.
I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next one!
January 19, 2020
Phil Vincent's Varuna is a page turning sea faring adventure that hooks you from the opening chapter and does not let go. The author uses a fascinating cast of characters to tell a story that dives deep into the underground worlds of illegal trawling, trafficking and drug smuggling. Strongly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys action packed mystery and intrigue.
April 26, 2021
It would make an excellent movie!
A different setting than usual, this takes place in the islands near Indonesia, a thriller about an oceanographic team that charters a boat from a captain who is unwillingly mixed up with a sadistic mobster, and things go wrong. A real page turner, by mid book I could hardly put it down! Kudos to the author for an excellent debut novel!
A different setting than usual, this takes place in the islands near Indonesia, a thriller about an oceanographic team that charters a boat from a captain who is unwillingly mixed up with a sadistic mobster, and things go wrong. A real page turner, by mid book I could hardly put it down! Kudos to the author for an excellent debut novel!
December 19, 2019
What a fun read. Great adventure story! Beautiful setting. Some nice twists. Likeable and believable characters. Great pace. Well written! Would strongly recommend to any adventure novel fan.
February 19, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fast paced action, well developed characters are part of this exciting suspense novel. A diving research crew become stranded on an island near Indonesia, facing dangerous drug dealers and active wildlife. Well worth the read!
Fast paced action, well developed characters are part of this exciting suspense novel. A diving research crew become stranded on an island near Indonesia, facing dangerous drug dealers and active wildlife. Well worth the read!
February 26, 2023
Ethan Dayne, disillusioned war correspondent turned ocean activist, sets out to report and record illegal fishing in maritime sanctuaries surrounding Indonesia -- injuries and tragedy to come. Excellent descriptions of scuba diving and ocean inhabitants. What a great series this will be!
December 17, 2019
What an adventure! If you love thrillers by Lee Child or David Baldacci, you will love Varuna!
November 14, 2019
I was drawn on this adventure through the lushness that is Indonesia to the gripping end in one sitting. What a fun ride! The central idea of protecting our oceans deserves to be promoted so all of us are aware of the destruction being done. I can't wait for Varuna's next sailing.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews